Wood carver returns to Brooklyn

Brooklyn firefighters flank Nyal Thomas, center, Pacific Northwest wood carver formerly of Florence. The team, with the help of others from Squad No. 1, have repaired Thomas’ 10-1/2-foot carving, “Out of the Rubble.” (courtesy photo)

orence residents took a cross-country trip to Brooklyn, N.Y. They were to participate in a six-month commemoration for Sept. 11, 2001, the day the United States was attacked by terrorists. They would also attend a ceremony where a 10-1/2-foot statue would be installed at Squad Co. 1 in the city, the firefighters’ company that lost the most men — 12 of its 24 — of any N.Y. firehouse in the events of 9/11.

Nyal Thomas was among the visiting group. Thomas is a wood carver and at the time owned Lakeshore Carvings in Florence. He created “Out of the Rubble,” a statue he carved from a Sitka spruce, to show how he felt about the event and the men and women who lost their lives doing their jobs that day. The statue depicts three firemen erecting a flag at the site of the Twin Towers, which were destroyed in the attack.



For the complete article see the 11-14-2012 issue.

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